Help. What is wrong with my chicks?

[Pigpye]

I wouldn't waste my time.
I highly doubt gape worm is an issue.

Juat a suggestion seeing as how no one knows what they may or may not have been exposed too and seems other more obvious concerns have been troubleshooted to no success. I personally wouldnt tell anyone it's a waste of time to look into every possibility of what the issue is while trying to help tbe rest of the chicks in a timely manner if possible

 

[Pigpye]

Even if it’s not the cause, it’s definitely something good for me to be aware of! I’m new to chickens so all info is great for me to read up on. Thank you.

Knowledge is always powerful , aside from taking a chick to vet for specific testing as opposed to trial and error, in the future may be a reference point anyway! I'm Rooting for you and your baby chicks !!

 

[Kiki]

Juat a suggestion seeing as how no one knows what they may or may not have been exposed too and seems other more obvious concerns have been troubleshooted to no success. I personally wouldnt tell anyone it's a waste of time to look into every possibility of what the issue is while trying to help tbe rest of the chicks in a timely manner if possible

Have you read the entire thread?
You'd see it's close to impossible for gape worms to have been introduced.

 

[Pigpye]

Have you read the entire thread?
You'd see it's close to impossible for gape worms to have been introduced.

In a rented brooder? Seems they very likely could have been exposed to a wide variety of who knows what

 

[GodofPecking]

I didn’t necessarily say I was “against” giving them poo to eat...I just might not be brave enough to go looking for wild bird poo to give them, but I can see why you’re saying what you’re saying.

just noticed this, no, not wild birds, you should just use a few bits from your own flock. Or some dirt from the coop is good enough too.

 

[coach723]

As I said in your other thread, I highly recommend giving them access to soil from day one, so they are exposed to the microbes naturally. Giving them concentrated droppings I would not do. The idea is to expose them gradually, not give them a ton all at once. Poopy water is NOT healthy for baby chicks. Scratching around, pecking, and dustbathing in soil IS. Poopy water is not healthy for anybody or any thing.
I have a Brinsea Ecoglow 50, and I usually brood between 6 - 20 chicks at a time. I think that it would be pretty crowded for the 50 chicks it's supposed to be adequate for, so I would go larger if you can. And chicken math usually strikes us all at some point.....I always go bigger if I can. The day just may come when you think you are going to get 6 chicks and you end up with a dozen or more, because, well, just because! I love my ecoglow, the chicks have always done well with it. Besides being a safe heat source that you don't have to worry about, it also satisfies their instinct to hide under mama. They sleep at night just like they would with mama since there is not any extra light from the heat lamp. I set mine up on a slant, so one side is a bit lower than the other so they can all find their comfortable spot closer or farther from the plate as needed. If you find them mostly around the edges, then usually raise it up just a bit. And the screw in legs on the 50 make height adjustments very easy. None of mine have ever bothered the power cord at all.

 

[ValerieJ]

You really think too small for 8 chicks? I don’t think I’ll ever get more than that at once. It’s at the high end of my price range already. I’ve dumped hundreds of dollars into these chicks already.

I feel your pain...these are the most expensive eggs in town. I think a 20 chick heater will work fine.

 

[ValerieJ]

Knowledge is always powerful , aside from taking a chick to vet for specific testing as opposed to trial and error, in the future may be a reference point anyway! I'm Rooting for you and your baby chicks !!

You may have missed some earlier posts. OP did take these chicks to the vet.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

As I said in your other thread, I highly recommend giving them access to soil from day one, so they are exposed to the microbes naturally. Giving them concentrated droppings I would not do. The idea is to expose them gradually, not give them a ton all at once. Poopy water is NOT healthy for baby chicks. Scratching around, pecking, and dustbathing in soil IS. Poopy water is not healthy for anybody or any thing.
I have a Brinsea Ecoglow 50, and I usually brood between 6 - 20 chicks at a time. I think that it would be pretty crowded for the 50 chicks it's supposed to be adequate for, so I would go larger if you can. And chicken math usually strikes us all at some point.....I always go bigger if I can. The day just may come when you think you are going to get 6 chicks and you end up with a dozen or more, because, well, just because! I love my ecoglow, the chicks have always done well with it. Besides being a safe heat source that you don't have to worry about, it also satisfies their instinct to hide under mama. They sleep at night just like they would with mama since there is not any extra light from the heat lamp. I set mine up on a slant, so one side is a bit lower than the other so they can all find their comfortable spot closer or farther from the plate as needed. If you find them mostly around the edges, then usually raise it up just a bit. And the screw in legs on the 50 make height adjustments very easy. None of mine have ever bothered the power cord at all.

Yep I’ll definitely give them some dirt from the get go this next time.
And wow, I’m learning that chicken math is a very very real thing. I put my hold on 9 chicks last night. I had credit for 4 more expensive replacements but instead used it to get 9 cheaper chick breeds just in case...I’d rather have too many chickens than too few again. So I’m looking at the bigger heat plates. I’m seeing one by a brand “premier” that is for 50...

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

Here’s the heatplate I’m looking at for the next batch....anyone try this one here?